CORPUS CHRISTI – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros women's tennis team has only played six match this spring season, but they've already captured some splashy wins. 
 
Three times the Vaqueros (4-2) have overcome dropping the doubles point and falling behind 0-1 to clinch matches on the singles court. First, they did it to beat St. Mary's, the No. 13 ranked NCAA Div. II team, 4-3. Then, they went to Houston and defeated the Cougars for the first time ever, battling back to win 4-3. UTRGV knocked down another opponent which previously had the upper hand in head-to-head competitions when it beat UTEP, 4-1, Saturday. It was UTRGV's first win over the Miners since 2008, coming from behind once again to seal the deal with wins on the first four singles courts. 
 
The resilient Vaqueros want to keep building on this season's success as they complete the South Texas Showdown, presented by Rally Credit Union, when they battle rival Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (8-1) Thursday at 11 a.m. at the Thomas J. Henry Tennis Center. 
 
UTRGV is 3-39 all-time against the Islanders and hasn't defeated them since 2018. When these teams met in the first round of the showdown in January, AMCC got a 6-1 win in Edinburg. Junior Kristal Dule opened her UTRGV career with a win at No. 5 singles. 
 
That was the season-opening match for the Vaqueros. As they get ready for Round Two, the team is more seasoned and playing improved tennis. They're eager to capture another big win and end a 12-match losing skid to the Islanders. 
 
Junior Marjorie Souza has been a key piece to UTRGV's success this season, holding a 5-1 record with a perfect 4-0 mark in the No. 1 spot. She was named the WAC Singles Player of the Week on Tuesday after earning wins against UTEP and Incarnate Word in the top flight. 
 
Dule has impressed in her first handful of matches as a Vaquero. She is 4-0 in the No. 5 spot and will aim to sweep her first pair of showdown matches. Senior Lea Karren, graduate student Isabelle Bahr and sophomore Yaiza Vazquez have three wins each holding down the 2-4 spots in the lineup. Sophomore Valentina Urraco has adapted well to having an every day spot in the lineup, holding a 3-2 record this spring with two wins at No. 6. 
 
While their singles play has been solid, the Vaqueros are still working through doubles pairings. But progress is being made every day, and they're confident some new combinations can help them have success in Corpus and change the trajectory of the rivalry. 

Support UTRGV Women's Tennis | Become a Fan on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter | Follow us on Instagram | Follow us on YouTube